Estanislao, Vivas keep FDG Cup crown

MANILA, Philippines -  National team mainstays Ronel Estanislao and Paul Vivas overwhelmed Patrick Natividad and Indon Perdian Fascal Rusman with their power game and fashioned out a 21-14, 21-17 victory to retain the Open men’s doubles crown in the FDG Cup Open and Invitational Badminton Championships at Powersmash in Makati over the weekend.

Combining splendidly to produce smashes and winners from practically all angles, Estanislao and Vivas needed just 30 minutes to dispose of the Ateneo-Robinsons Land duo and pocket the richest purse of P200,000 staked in any doubles competitions.

It was a virtual repeat of their straight-set romp over Ariel delos Santos and Gabriel Villanueva last year although Estanislao and Vivas had to toughen up in the second frame to hold off Natividad and Rusman and complete the straight-set victory in the two-day tournament held in honor of Robinsons Land Corp. president Frederick D. Go.

Go, meanwhile, linked up with world No. 5 Simon Santoso to outlast world No. 4 mixed doubles pair of Tontowi Ahmed and Liliyana Natsir, 25-23, in one of the two exhibition games highlighting the ninth staging of the annual tournament. Ahmed and Natsir subdued Santoso and Kennevic Asuncion, 21-17, in the other match.

The top seeded Estanislao and Vivas earlier repulsed Andrei Babad and Paul Pantig, 27-25, 21-10, while Natividad and Rusman clipped Carlos Cayanan and Gerald Sibayan, 21-13, 21-17, in the other Final Four match in the centerpiece division of the event backed by HCG 80, Davies Paints, Supreme Steel Pipe Corp. and Sycwin Wires and Cables.

Cheska Bermejo and Indon Marissa Vita held off RLC’s Isabelle Villaran and Natalia Poluakan of Indonesia, 21-15, 25-23, to capture the Open women’s doubles plum worth P90,000 while Vita later teamed up with Marco Bermejo to upend the fancied Yogendran Krisnan of Malaysia and Malvinne Ann Alcala, 21-17, 22-20, in the Open mixed doubles finals and complete a golden double for Team Prima and Vita. Marco Bermejo and Vita took the top P120,000 prize.

Cheska Bermejo and Vita earlier upset No. 3 Iris Montilla and Kristel Salatan of Phl team, 21-15, 21-7, while Villaran and Poluaka, who booted out the top seeded pair of Gelita Castilo and Dia Magno in the second round, trounced Phl team’s Isay Leonardo and Thea Pomar, 21-16, 21-13.

Marco Bermejo and Vita, on the other hand, defeated Vivas and Indon Lili Wang, 21-17, 21-8, in the semis while Krisnan and Alcala, who surprised top seed Toby Gadi and Castilo in the Last 16, fended off Gabriel Villanueva and Flo Lamigo, 21-19, 21-19.